Louisiana-Lafayette was the unanimous choice among the Sun Belt’s coaches to win the 2014 conference championship, followed by Arkansas State, South Alabama, Troy, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State. After App State and Georgia Southern, Idaho, Georgia State and New Mexico State rounded out the preseason poll.

Appalachian State opens the 2014 campaign on Aug. 30 at Michigan (noon — ESPN2) and plays its first-ever Sun Belt game on Sept. 25 with another nationally televised contest at Georgia Southern (7:30 p.m. — ESPNU).